Galway City Council, in partnership with the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, has this week launched two ‘Wonder Wander’ trails – celebrating the rich history and heritage to be found in Eyre Square and the City Core.
Highlights of the routes include landmarks such as St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church and Browne Doorway, and more modest buildings including houses and shops. The self-guided trails take in a walk of approximately 2.5km and share information on hidden stories from the past in plain sight. Galway City Wonder Wanders Trails are available free of charge in print across the city including libraries, the Galway City Museum, and the Tourism Office, and can be downloaded online, see links at the end of this Press Release.
The Galway City Wonder Wander trails tell two distinct stories of the development of Galway City: the ‘city core’ within the original town walls, with the ancient character of Galway from the 13th century right up to the modern time; and outside the city walls, in Eyre Square, with larger scale buildings reflecting a different character, and the confidence of the growing city in the 19th century – including banks, Ceannt Station, the Historic Railway Hotel (now the Hardiman) and Georgian style terraced houses echoing an ‘up and coming’ Galway City.
Wonder Wander trails are a national initiative designed to celebrate the rich history and heritage of Ireland’s Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) by showcasing some of the historic buildings and places that are valued by local communities.
The Galway City Wonder Wander trails were developed by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH), part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in cooperation with Galway City Council’s Architectural Conservation Officer.
Announcing the trails, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan T.D. said: “Buildings that we pass every day on foot or by car can have great heritage significance. The Wonder Wander Trails help people to explore hidden histories in our built environment and reinforce a sense of pride in their local area. These trails will bring Galway city’s heritage to life and allow people to better understand the built heritage all around us”.
Minister O’Sullivan paid tribute to local communities involved and encouraged others to come forward, to further expand the Wonder Wander network.
“Working in partnership with communities, officials from my Department and Architectural Conservation Officer in Galway City gathered the stories associated with these unique places which really bring the trail routes to life. The trails are an excellent example of a community-led project coming to fruition and I would encourage everyone to get out and explore the new trail routes”.
Michael Scott, Architectural Conservation Officer, Galway City Council commented, “The Wonder Wander Trails will be a great way to experience Galway’s architectural conservation areas — from the open expanse of Eyre Square to the character-filled streets of the city core. It is hoped that these trails will help people see the buildings, spaces, and details we often walk past every day in a new light, and remind us how Galway’s built heritage shapes its personality and sense of place”.
Brendan Dunne, Senior Executive Planner for Architectural Conservation and Heritage, Galway City Council commented, “Eyre Square and the City Core are an integral part of the city’s built heritage and vibrant identity, we hope that the trails will underline the importance of Architectural Conservation Area designation in protecting our built heritage and ensuring that Galway continues to be a vibrant and memorable place – for both those living here, and the over 2.7 million visitors who come to our city every year”.